Hunter Pond is the founder of Vandelay Hospitality Group, one of the most recognizable restaurant portfolios in Texas. From dropping out of law school mid-exam to launching East Hampton Sandwich Co. with no industry experience, Hunter shares how a love for restaurants kickstarted a hospitality empire.
We dive into the creation and evolution of VHG. Hunter breaks down the art and science behind successful concepts, why restaurants fail, and how his team approaches everything from vendor relationships to tip pooling and fraud prevention.
This episode covers:
- The impulsive moment that launched his restaurant career
- How a $20K investment and Craigslist chef shaped East Hampton’s early days
- The balance of creativity and discipline in full-service dining
- Building menus for flavor, efficiency, and profitability
- Lessons learned from private equity and selling his first concept
- Why restaurant success is often more about square footage than food
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Links:
Vandelay Hospitality Group - https://vandelayhospitality.com/
Topics:
(00:00:00) - Intro
(00:03:20) - Dropping out of law school to pursue a career in the restaurant industry
(00:10:31) - Lessons learned from working the back of the house
(00:14:01) - Developing and opening East Hampton Sandwich Co.
(00:23:47) - How to build a menu
(00:29:44) - The importance of seat count
(00:34:57) - How DoorDash killed the fast-casual restaurant
(00:37:02) - Service vs. product in the success of a restaurant
(00:42:21) - Blocking and tackling in the business
(00:44:06) - Where people fail in the restaurant industry
(00:49:56) - Selling East Hampton
(00:52:56) - Cloud Kitchens
(00:54:43) - Developing Hudson House
(00:58:01) - Determining seat count ratios
(01:01:03) - Lessons from working with PE
(01:05:29) - Sources of turnover in restaurants
(01:06:49) - Why certain concepts don’t work in different cities
(01:08:48) - The impact of real estate on restaurants
(01:12:02) - Creating new concepts vs. acquisitions
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